Earl F. Wendel

Prevalence and Significance of Prostatic Inflammation

AbstractProstatic fluid specimens were collected by digital massage from 325 consecutive men. White blood cells per high power microscopic field were counted under a cover slip. Lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in the fluid were separated by acrylamide disk electrophoresis and the ratio of lactate dehydrogenase-5/lactate dehydrogenase-1 was used as a parameter of epithelial cellular damage. Diagnoses were based on history, physical examination, and urine and fluid cultures, irrespective of the prostatic fluid white blood cells per high power field and lactate dehydrogenase-5/lactate dehydrogenase-1. The prostatic fluid of 31 patients with no urologic disease had 0.7 ± 0.41 white blood cells per high power field (mean ± standard error); 30 (97 per cent) of the specimens had less than 2 white blood cells per high power field. The prostatic fluid of 88 patients with non-inflammatory urologic disease had 3.8 ± 0.83 white blood cells per high power field; 76 (86 per cent) of the specimens had less than 10 whit...

The Role of Excretory Urography and Cystoscopy in the Evaluation and Management of Women with Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection

We examined the roles of excretory urography and cystoscopy in the evaluation and management of 153 otherwise healthy women seen consecutively with recurrent urinary tract infections. The excretory urograms were entirely normal in 89 per cent of the patients; the abnormalities were incidental findings with no influence on subsequent management. These results, combined with the known expense and risks inherent in the use of iodinated radiologic contrast material, suggest that excretory urography be limited to those patients possessing other risk factors. These include a history of unexplained hematuria, obstructive symptoms, neurogenic bladder dysfunction, renal calculi, analgesic abuse, severe diabetes mellitus or bacteriologic evidence of rapid recurrence suggesting bacterial persistence within the urinary tract or an enterovesical fistula. On the other hand, cystoscopy under local anesthesia has essentially no risks and occasionally will yield information helpful in future management.

Analysis of Specific Proteins in Prostatic Fluid for Detecting Prostatic Malignancy

In an attempt to identify an indicator(s) specifically associated with prostatic cancer prostatic fluid was collected by rectal massage from patients with prostatic cancer, prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia and from those without recognized prostatic lesions in order to measure various immunoproteins. The proteins examined were IgG, IgA, IgM, complements C3 and C4, and transferrin. Prostatic fluid samples were subjected first to immunoelectrophoresis. Distinct differences in C3, C4 and transferrin concentrations were noted between patients with prostatic cancer and other patients. These proteins were stained heavily in the electrophoresis gels of fluid from cancer patients but were either missing or lightly stained in all other groups. These qualitative determinations were replaced subsequently by a quantitative measurement using the radial immunodiffusion technique. Results of the latter study confirmed the aforementioned observations and indicated that the levels of C3, C4 and transferrin in the prostatic fluid of cancer patients were elevated significantly when compared to all other patient groups. These observations indicate that the measurement of complements C3 and C4, and transferrin in the prostatic fluid may assist in the identification of patients with a high risk of prostatic cancer.

Necrotizing cavernositis secondary to periodontal abscess

Spontaneous cavernositis is a distinctly uncommon entity. Corporeal infection and abscess formation have been described in association with priapism, cavernosography, intracavernous injection therapy, trauma and penile prostheses. We report a case of acute necrotizing cavernositis in a diabetic patient, which presumably originated with hematogenous seeding from a periodontal abscess. Isolation of typical oral pathogens from corporeal cultures provides bacteriological evidence of a dental source for the corporeal infection.

Lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in human prostatic fluid: an aid in recognition of malignancy?

A total of 1,435 specimens of prostatic fluid were collected from 1,076 patients by rectal massage. Lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in the fluid were separated by acrylamide disk electrophoresis and the ratio of lactic dehydrogenase-5/lactic dehydrogenase-1 was used as the parameter for the test. There were significant differences in the ratio among patients with a normal prostate, benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic carcinoma. The mean values of lactic dehydrogenase-5/lactic dehydrogenase-1 ratios were 0.48 +/- 0.09, 1.36 +/- 0.17 and 5.21 +/- 0.79, respectively. Of 30 patients with histological evidence of prostatic carcinoma 25 (85 per cent) had a ratio greater than 2 in the prostatic fluid. On the other hand the ratio was less than 2 in 50 of 57 men (88 per cent) with a histological diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia devoid of inflammation. When prostatic fluid contained white blood cells a positive correlation was observed between the ratio and the number of white blood cells per microscopic field (r equals 0.289, p less than 0.001). The results indicate that a lactic dehydrogenase-5/lactic dehydrogenase-1 ratio exceeding 2 in the prostatic fluid in the absence of inflammation should be regarded as an indication of high risk of the presence of carcinoma of the prostate.

Renal vein thrombosis following puerperal ovarian vein thrombophlebitis

A case of renal vein thrombosis following puerperal ovarian vein thrombophlebitis is reported. We review the syndrome of puerperal ovarian vein thrombophlebitis and emphasize the potential for renal vein and vena caval involvement. The utility of computed tomographic scanning for diagnostic confirmation of this postpartum complication is described.